Geocaching Australia

delta_foxtrot2 wrote:

Mr Router wrote:With a good quality dipole you can sit up to half a block away

bi-directional 15dBm amp + 10dBm card + 10dBm antenna and you can go a tad futher than half a block...

3.5 km's is my personal best

Bundyrumandcoke wrote:But 1 Q. Is it Australia wide, specifically SA, Vic?

Australia wide Bundy.

Doesn't anyone ever check those links? sheez

mm

I used the free WiFi in Warrawong (a suburb of Wollongong) last week. It was so painfully slow that I cracked the sh!ts and left. It was slower than the old days on a 56k Modem!

Hopefully this was an exception and not the norm.

delta_foxtrot2 wrote:

Mr Router wrote:With a good quality dipole you can sit up to half a block away

bi-directional 15dBm amp + 10dBm card + 10dBm antenna and you can go a tad futher than half a block...

<b><P>

How much would that setup cost me? he he

chatmanais wrote:How much would that setup cost me? he he

Well the amps have come down in price by the looks, a 15dBm/500mW amp is only $135 now... I'm sure the same place would have everything else you'd need too... total would be $200-$500 depending what type of antenna, length of cables etc...

And here we Kiwi's thought that free wifi in Maccas was old news in Australia!

We used it extensively in our trip in December - made for good lunch/evening stops to download PQ's, email, and upload and post fieldnotes created at the backpackers in the evenings.

It definitely isn't in them all yet, but the iPhone was really handy to whip out and check if it was a free AP before going inside. It was very handy being able to whip out the iPhone and check email via wifi at Maccas.

We did come across a couple of Maccas that had paid APs in them. Perhaps some enterprising person may want to build a GPX of Maccas with free wifi - would be a handy geocaching resource

That said, I wouldn't rule out some of the prepaid wireless broadband options - getting wifi at Maccas and backpackers was just inconvenient enough, that for a dedicated trip we'd probably go down the mobile broadband path next time. And Maccas did eat into valuable caching time. Usually took a good 30 minutes minimum out of valuable caching time!

I found this out during my Christmas trip to Bathurst. On Christmas day I went and did my logs and watched all the people try and come and get food. (wouldn't you eat something better on Christmas day?)<P>I think Vic must be a bit behind as I tried 5 different sites from Geelong to St Kilda to Frankston this week and each of them were paid sites.

Mr Router wrote:3.5 km's is my personal best

I forget what the current record is, something like a few hundred km... although that's with a couple of big sat dishes and a pair of suitably placed mountains

rediguana wrote:That said, I wouldn't rule out some of the prepaid wireless broadband options - getting wifi at Maccas and backpackers was just inconvenient enough, that for a dedicated trip we'd probably go down the mobile broadband path next time. And Maccas did eat into valuable caching time. Usually took a good 30 minutes minimum out of valuable caching time!

The only problem is getting network coverage where all caches are, I've learnt all sort of interesting stretching practices to just get a bar or two to see photos or what not

In SA most public libraries have free wi-fi that extends outside their buildings. You have to sign up at any library to get your log-on and password, which is then valid at all libraries. It is a local decision as to whether they leave it turned on 24 hours a day or only when the library is open. I've checked the four local libraries in the Riverland, and their systems all work out of hours. It is a common sight here in Loxton to see backpackers sitting on the benches outside at night with their laptops. I've used it whilst away on caching trips eg at Murray Bridge, however did find that Burra's was turned off - joint use school and public library - so maybe didn't want people hanging around in the yard. Just another option!

delta_foxtrot2 wrote:

Mr Router wrote:3.5 km's is my personal best

I forget what the current record is, something like a few hundred km... although that's with a couple of big sat dishes and a pair of suitably placed mountains

We only had a 24 db grid parabolic and a 7 db dipole, photo are somewhere in this forum, cant remember

Mr Router wrote:I forget what the current record is, something like a few hundred km... although that's with a couple of big sat dishes and a pair of suitably placed mountains

We only had a 24 db grid parabolic and a 7 db dipole, photo are somewhere in this forum, cant remember [/quote]

The record holders used something like 3-4m dishes...

Dang !! It's all a bit moot now
All that time sneaking around outside of libraries, council chambers and cheap motels with my PDA in hand, hoping for a usable signal to surf the web will be a thing of the past
Finally Maccas provide a happy meal of free WiFi, just days before I get wireless broadband on the notebook
Actually,3G is probably the reason why Maccas and Telstra have ditched the charges and made WiFi free. No doubt loggers on will have to run a gauntlet of pop up ads to get on line

If wrote:No doubt loggers on will have to run a gauntlet of pop up ads to get on line

Every time you change URLs, you get a popup asking if you want fries with it!

(cue df2 to chime in with "pop-ups? what are they? don't you have a pop-up blocker?)

If wrote:Actually,3G is probably the reason why Maccas and Telstra have ditched the charges and made WiFi free. No doubt loggers on will have to run a gauntlet of pop up ads to get on line

I doubt Telstra would be involved in this, they have to get their pound of flesh.

Maccas are probably doing it to get more customers and ditching Telstra and their $12/hr model, and moving toward the same model as their US counter part.

But Maccas has missed the boat for the most part, 3G is here and 4G could be within 3-5 years and/or improvements to 3G to make it support more bandwidth/users etc.